Republican governor candidates filing finance reports

Friday

Jan 10, 2014 at 2:57 PM

The Associated Press

NEW HAVEN — Republican candidates for Connecticut governor are filing paperwork to show how much cash they've raised so far as a growing field competes to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to qualify for public campaign financing.

Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti reported raising $1,200 in December. Lauretti, who filed paperwork to form a campaign committee last month, is among the candidates hoping to collect enough of the small contributions necessary to qualify for public financing.

Candidates for governor must raise $250,000 in contributions of $100 or less in order to participate in the program. Ultimately, they can receive at least $1.25 million for a primary and $6 million for the general election.

A couple of other GOP candidates still have exploratory committees, including Tom Foley of Greenwich, a former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and the party's 2010 candidate, who spent more than $10 million of his own money on the narrow race. Wilton state Sen. Toni Boucher is also considering a run for governor.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has yet to announce if he'll seek a second term.

Jerry Labriola Jr. said this week that he'd like to see the Republican candidates for governor finish raising their qualifying funds by the state party's convention, scheduled for May 16 and 17 at Mohegan Sun.

"It very much speaks to the credibility of the candidate," he said. "I find it hard to envision a candidate who has not qualified for the grant by the convention as prevailing over one who has."

"We have to work hard to come together as a party and unifying it at the earliest opportunity will be key," Labriola added.